Crunchyroll Partners with Media Blasters
Online Media Distribution Giant Begins Online Streaming, Subscription and Download-To-Own of Anime and Live Action Titles
San Francisco, CA (August 9, 2008) —New York-based anime and live action DVD distributor, Media Blasters, partners with online media distribution giant, Crunchyroll, to provide streaming, subscription and download-to-own of the company's most popular anime and live action titles. More information can be found at <www.crunchyroll.com> .
Fan favorite anime titles such as GIRL'S HIGH (eps. 1-12) and RAMEN FIGHTER MIKI (eps. 1-12) will be available via streaming, subscription and with a download-to-own option of $1.99 per episode. The long-awaited anime epic KITE LIBERATOR (download-to-own $5.99) and live action original feature productions such as FLESH FOR THE BEAST (download-to-own $9.95), SHADOW: DEAD RIOT (download-to-own $9.95) and MACHINE GIRL (download-to-own $9.95) will be available via subscription and download-to-own only.
Media Blasters Executive Vice President of TV & New Media Gary Conner comments, “Working with an online distribution site like Crunchyroll helps create a new business model for online monetization. It also cuts down on production and distribution costs and allows us to lower prices which benefits our customers and fans.”
Brady McCollum, Crunchyroll Director of Business Development, states “Crunchyroll is striving to assist the growth and prosperity of the industry and we are proud to have a company like Media Blasters join our family.”
Title Synopses:
FLESH FOR THE BEAST
At the turn of the century, a notorious occultist named Alfred Fischer
conjures up a brothel full of ravenous demons in a bizarre ritual. Taking
the form of beautiful women, the beasts demand a steady diet of fresh prey
that only a human servant can provide. Almost a century after Fischer meets
his mysterious end, a team of para-psychologists investigates his manor for
signs of restless spirits. In no time they are besieged by sexy demons, a
madman with a secret past, and a horde of slaughtering zombies!
Download-to-own: $9.95. Catalog Number: SSDVD-0516
GIRL'S HIGH
Eriko and her friends finally make it to an exclusive high school and
they're ready to make the most of it! For these girls, having fun is their
number one priority. Right from the start, they're causing trouble, meeting
boys, forging friendships, making enemies — you know, typical teenage girl
behavior. The hit series GIRL'S HIGH gives you a raw, hilarious
fly-on-the-wall peek into the lives of these girls as they experience for
the first time the awkwardness, embarrassment and camaraderie of high school
life. Download-to-own: $1.99/episode. Catalog Number: AWDVD-0805
KITE LIBERATOR
In 1998's Kite
<http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=163> ,
creator/director Yasuomi Umetsu
<http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=3145> explored
the dark underworld of a teenage girl assassin. In Kite: Liberator
<http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=7867> , which is
more of a spin-off than a direct sequel, ten years has now passed. A new
teenage assassin is cleaning up the grimy streets of Tokyo. The police call
her the Angel of Death, an unfeeling assassin who eliminates her targets
with grace and precision, leaving only a flurry of feathers across the
bloody crime scene as her calling card. What the public is unaware of is
that this notorious hitman is actually a polite young lady named Monaka.
Could the placid face of an innocent high school girl really disguise such a
ruthless killer? Monaka seems to be just an average high school girl. But
she has a dark and terrible secret linking her past to a murderous police
detective and her future to a fatal duel with the one person she loves most
in the world.
Download-to-own: $5.95. Catalog Number: AWDVD-0806
MACHINE GIRL
Our heroine Ami (Minase Yashiro, in her film debut) is a tough but otherwise
average high school girl, trying to lead a normal life. Her world comes
crashing down when her brother and his friend are killed by ruthless
bullies. As Ami tracks down the ringleader, she is surprised to discover the
bullies' association with a sinister ninja yakuza family. When she seeks
revenge, she soon finds herself in over her head and minus her left arm.
Barely surviving, Ami escapes and seeks shelter from two kindly garage
mechanics. They take pity on her, fitting her with a high-powered machine
gun where her arm used to be. She then teams up with the chainsaw-wielding
mother of her brother's slain friend and together they unleash an unholy,
non-stop, over-the-top kill fest against the equally creative machinery
(drill bra, flying guillotine) of their relentless ninja enemies. From the
creators of DEATH TRANCE, MEATBALL MACHINE and SUKEBAN BOY
Download-to-own: $9.95. Catalog Number: TSDVD-0739
RAMEN FIGHTER MIKI
In a world where terror grips the land and innocents have no solace from
violence and brutality, one girl walks the line between life and death to
bring her own special brand of... Ramen! Miki Onimaru works at her parent's
Ramen shop, making deliveries, waiting tables, and attracting customers with
cute, girlish charm. Somehow, Miki can't complete even one of these simple
tasks without the full employment of her extensive bone-crunching,
skull-splitting martial arts moves and penchant for unleashing relentless
destruction. Can Miki get through the day without messing up and angering
her Mom, who makes her look like a gentle kitten in comparison?
Download-to-own: $1.99/episode. Catalog Number: AWDVD-0715
SHADOW: DEAD RIOT
Horror icon Tony Todd (Clive Barker's CANDYMAN series) delivers his most
powerful and evil performance as SHADOW, an executed and resurrected serial
killer who invades a women's prison in search of the girl known only as
Solitaire (Carla Greene)! Solitaire senses her impending doom and prepares
to single-handedly take on Shadow and his army of zombies in a supernatural
martial arts showdown! SHADOW: DEAD RIOT is a unique stylistic fusion of
Asian-style action, zombie horror and women's prison drama. From the
Producers of FLESH FOR THE BEAST. Directorial debut of Hong Kong
cinematographer Derek Wan (Jet Li's FIST OF LEGEND, Michelle Yeoh's ROYAL
WARRIORS). Music Score by Vernon Reid of the multi-platinum, 2- time Grammy
Award- winning rock band, Living Colour. Theme song performed by Jean Grae
(The Roots). Action choreography by Tony Leung Siu-Hung (Bruce Lee's ENTER
THE DRAGON, Jackie Chan's LEGEND OF THE DRUNKEN MASTER). Edited by Ki Hop
Chan (Jackie Chan's THE MEDALLION). Special Effects by Allan Cooke (George
Romero's LAND OF THE DEAD, RESIDENT EVIL 2, WRONG TURN). Download-to-own:
$9.95. Catalog Number: SSDVD-0604
About Media Blasters
Media Blasters Inc. is a New York based corporation that translates,
packages, and dubs anime <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anime> and live
action programming for the US DVD market. Media Blasters is perhaps best
known for its DVD releases of “Invader Zim
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invader_Zim> ”, and VOLTRON as well as
translating & releasing the anime Berserk
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berserk_%28manga%29> , Knight Hunters
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_Hunters> , and Rurouni Kenshin
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rurouni_Kenshin> . In 11 years of business,
Media Blasters has grown from a solid licensing company to a major media
producer and distributor. Media Blasters recently completed its third
in-house horror film production “Wicked Lake”, attracting some of
Hollywood's top talent. On the international front, Media Blasters has just
completed its Japanese co-production, KITE LIBERATOR, a new story by anime
action master Yasuomi Umetsu as well as the new live action hit “The Machine
Girl”. As a distributor, Media Blasters has partnered with industry giants
such as Nickelodeon, PBS and Tezuka Productions for nationwide DVD releases.
Media Blasters strong relationships with major retailers such as Wal-mart,
Best Buy and Transworld have guaranteed prime placement for all of its DVD
products. Media Blasters has recently expanded into the US TV & internet
markets with great success. Original and licensed productions have been
featured on iTunes, Xbox, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Showtime, Starz,
Monsters HD, Sundance Channel, MTV/ LOGO, Cox's Hospitality Network and many
of the most popular Video-on-Demand outlets such as InDemand and DISH
Network.
About Crunchyroll
Headquartered in San Francisco, California – Crunchyroll is hailed as a
leading online entertainment brand with the largest international online
community and destination focused on Asian entertainment including anime,
drama, music in addition to electronic entertainment and auto content.
Crunchyroll's distribution channel and partnership program delivers content
to over four million passionate fans worldwide. Crunchyroll is funded by the
premiere group Venrock. More information can be found at its website
http://www.crunchyroll.com.
The statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. The Company cautions readers of this press release that a number of important factors could cause Crunchyroll.com's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation, product delays, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, vendors and third-party developers, international economic and political conditions. The Company may change its intention, belief or expectation, at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, in the Company's assumptions or otherwise. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
